Lighting assemblies in motor vehicles include one or more bulbs located behind a lens. Directional signals in motor vehicles are special types of lighting assemblies which conventionally comprise one or more bulbs located within a lens which are flashed in sequence to indicate direction changes. Such assemblies are effective in performing their intended function when visible, but, especially under inclement weather conditions, there can be many circumstances when the lens becomes covered with material which greatly reduces it transparency, making the light or signal much less visible than desirable. There have been proposals in the past for cleaning motor vehicle lamp lenses, however such proposals have occasioned the addition of extraneous structure movable on the outside of the vehicle, which has reduced the practical utility thereof.
According to the present invention, a lighting assembly for a motor vehicle or the like is provided which is kept clean during normal operation of the assembly, and utilizes the relative motion between components that is necessary to effect cleaning to also provide a form of directional indication. In this way the lens can remain visible under substantially all conditions. Where the lighting assembly is a directional signal, the provision of a movable component facilitates rather than hinders the primary signalling function of the assembly.
According to the present invention an assembly is provided that includes a hollow cylinder of transparent material, and means for mounting the cylinder within a motor vehicle or the like for rotation about an axis with respect to the vehicle or the like, with a portion of the cylinder visibly exterior of the motor vehicle or the like. When the assembly is used for directional indication, the cylinder includes alternate axially extending strips of different color (e.g. red and clear). Light emitting means, such as one or more light bulbs, are mounted within the cylinder hollow interior and connected up to a source of power, such as the vehicle battery. Power means, such as a small electric motor, are provided for effecting rotation of the cylinder about its axis, and cleaning means--such as a brush mounted to the motor vehicle--operatively engage the exterior peripheral surface of the cylinder for effecting cleaning thereof during rotation of the cylinder with respect to the cleaning means. The cylinder may be rotatable about either a horizontal or vertical axis, and the interiorly mounted bulbs may either be constantly on, or flashing, when desired, a directional indication is given by providing the alternating different colors of the cylinder strips.
The means for mounting the cylinder for rotation may comprise a first shaft extending from a diametrically extending member at a first end of the cylinder, with first bearing means surrounding the shaft, and second bearing means operatively engaging a second end of the cylinder, opposite the first end. The second bearing means may engage a peripheral portion of the cylinder, or a second shaft may be provided at the cylinder second end, the second shaft hollow allowing the passage of electrical lead wires to the bulb(s) therethrough. Where directional indication is to be provided, preferably the motor for rotating the cylinder and the light bulbs are connected in series, and the battery for the motor vehicle, so that each time the directional signal is activated the cylindrical "lens" gets a cleaning. However the operational mode of the assembly may be designed so that the cleaning mode is distinct from the light operational mode.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple and effective lighting assembly for motor vehicles or the like that will remain visible even under inclement weather conditions. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.